Exemplar  2 

e-Portfolio context:  e-Portfolio and blog for Secondary PGCE Programmes

Dates of provision: 2008 - ongoing

Reason for implementation:   

Implementation of e-portfolios for PGCE programmes at Newcastle was initially done as a case study of the JISC funded, Newcastle-led EPICS-2 regional e-portfolios project. 

Research focus:  

To inform debate on the level of structure required in ePFs/blogs for vocational subjects, and factors relating to engagement and concurrent use of formal/institutional and informal social networking sites. 

Evaluation and pedagogic refinements were conducted as Newcastle University's contribution to the National Action Research Network (NARN) on researching and evaluating PDP and e-Pf. This provided the resource to refine both technology and pedagogy over a 3 year period 

User needs - learners:  

increased personalisation; less structure in the epf; increased opportunity for peer dialogue for learners increasingly familiar with social networking and Web 2.0 applications. 

User needs - tutors:  

customisation of epf at programme level to incorporate professional standards, standards descriptions and links to supporting information on the TDA site; also making the epf specific to ITT using more professional terminology: My Evidence changed to Meeting the Standards; My Folder changed to Teaching File; adding new sections: Reflections on Practice, Weekly Lesson Evaluations, Progress Timeline, Action Plan, modelled on an established paper-based portfolio.

Purpose/s: To support reflections on practice, (store/develop) weekly lesson evaluations and evidence Teaching Quality Standards. To use epf blogging linked to QTS to mediate between informal social networking behaviours and the evidencing of formal professional standards
  

Learning processes involved:

 A new blog was developed for the ePET epf as part of the  JISC-funded EPICS-2 regional project and was designed to include explicit support for structured learning outcomes. The learner has the option to link each blog entry with one or more skills and the blog entries are then automatically cross-referenced in the evidence area of the epf which is structured around the skill set. Learners could personalise the blog and make each entry private or public or shared with defined communities.

Practice: fully developed  

Iterative development with adjustments to both technology and pedagogy over a three-year period; this was a process designed to develop mature practice.

Key staff involved: 

7 subject-based PGCE tutors and Simon Cotterill as Senior Research Associate and Learning Technologist 

For further details see: 

Exemplar of use 3 - Newcastle Exemplar of use 3 - Newcastle  

Blogs and ePortfolios: can they support reflection, evidencing and dialogue in teacher training? - reporting research carried out as part of the National Action Research Network (NARN) on researching and evaluating PDP and e-Pf.

Cotterill SJ, Lowing K, Cain K, Lofthouse R, Mackay C, McShane J, Stancliffe D, Wright D. Blogs and e-Portfolios: can they support reflection, evidencing and dialogue in teacher training Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 2, 2010